A 600,000 square meter plot of land, located on the banks of Avenida Brasil, was included on the priority list of the state government of Rio de Janeiro. The area has been occupied for over 70 years by the Refit Group, the former name of the Manguinhos Refinery, which had its bankruptcy decreed amid accusations of tax fraud and accumulated debts in the billions.
Concerned about the fate of the property, the Guanabara Palace requested that the Union expropriate the useful domain of the land, today in the hands of the conglomerate. The state government intends to use the space for some future purpose.
However, the use of the area in the future faces a serious environmental problem. During an inspection carried out in December of last year, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) found the recontamination by hydrocarbons of the land, which occurred in the period from 2020 to 2025. The soil and groundwater were affected, which could significantly hinder any project for use of the space.
